A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back! Sorry for the delay, but the vacation I told you about is keeping me busy! Between all the stuff I've been doing with my family, I was pretty wiped out from it all so sorry for keeping you all on the edge of your seats.
To all of my fellow American's out there, I hope you had a fun (and safe) Fourth of July! Whether you partied, watched fireworks or just went goofing off with your friends and family, I hope you enjoyed celebrating our nation's independence.
And now back on tangent…
On September 13th, 2013, I published the first chapter to my first story. I had no idea where this story was going and I wasn't expecting much in terms of likes and reviews. But now…247 thousand plus words, 82 favorites, 105 likes, 23 chapters (plus 5 side stories) and 162 reviews later, I find myself in disbelief that I've made it this far. Seriously, I never thought people would like my writing or give it so much praise.
But here we are, the last chapter.
Throughout all the delays, twists, turns and general insanity, you've held out to the end. So I hope this chapter will seem like a fitting reward for sticking with me to the end.
I just…I just never thought this story would become what it is; that it became so popular. I mean it's not as big as some of the great FT stories on this site, but still, to receive a hundred plus reviews is a big deal to me.
I'm just glad to know people like my writing.
So, before we proceed to the end, here is a shout out to all who have reviewed…to those who made it to the end of the ride.
Your Fangirl: Hello and welcome to the story! By the time you read this, this story will be over with but I hoped you enjoyed it none the less. I'm really glad you liked this story. Am I the real writer of Fairy Tail!? Good lord, I'm not that good! I'm glad to know you think this story is on par with Fairy Tail but I am in no way, shape or form anything like Hiro Mashima-the man is a freaking genius! Yes, I do enjoy anime and Xbox; helps keep me sane! *Shocked blush* You proposed to me!? I…uhm…uhm…I don't know how to respond to that!? (Lol). I don't know about league and runsescape, not a big fan of those, but as for Ghosts, AC:BF, and Bleach, those are something's I do enjoy! You'd be more obsessed than Juvia is with Gray…oh dear, is that even possible!? In all seriousness, I am glad you enjoyed the story.
Ichihime4: Hello and welcome back! Yes, I know I delivered quite the shock with Igneel's death last chapter and it is sad that this story is coming to an end. But at the same time, I am happy that I was finally able to craft the ending I had in mind with this chapter. Yes, Aya definitely got what she deserved and then some but even though Igneel died, he did so knowing he had saved his family and his future from falling into darkness. You are not wrong in your guess about the future…but there is one final twist to it that may take you by surprise.
Kazenoseiren: Hello and welcome back my lovely reader from afar! How are you!? I'm glad the last chapter blew you away. Yes, Igneel definitely used whatever trick he could think of to fight Aya. It actually took two tries to get the scene with the time portal to go the way I wanted it to; glad to know it worked out! The battle kept you on your toes, so that's good to know. With a little extra help from his Grandpa, Igneel was able to finish his fight…but at the cost of his own life. Sad, but that's how it played out. Although there is a twist to this chapter, I will tell you that Natsu, Lucy and the others will remember their children and all that they went through.
Darkhope: Welcome back! Yes, Igneel finished his battle with Aya, but paid the price for doing so. In death he was reunited with his sister, girlfriend and friends…or was he? Prepare thyself; because you are going to be hit with feels!
Mistwing: Hello and welcome back! I will confirm this for you so you don't overthink things and possibly hurt yourself; Aya is dead. Igneel stopped her and therefore, her future self was destroyed when she died. No crazy paradox there. As for the rest of the kids…well, you'll have to read to find out. I know how you feel about this not wanting to come to an end so hopefully this chapter will end things with a bang!
AyeeeItsCoco: Hello, been a while hasn't it!? I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter; sorry for putting you through an emotional roller coaster while also blowing your mind! I hope you weren't damaged beyond repair (lol). Yes, Igneel showed that like Natsu, he too could be a badass. Even though Igneel died, his sacrifice did save his parents and the future. You are right in that this story is close to being a year old…it's hard to believe that I made it this far from the first chapter to the ending. I'm glad you like my style and yes, I do plan on making other stories-I'll cover that in the closing A/N. Vacation is going good, I'm having a fun time-thanks for asking. I actually went parasailing the other day and will go see wild horses tomorrow!
Dani: Hello and welcome back! Yes, the final chapter is here. I know you just started to recently post your reviews but they have been nothing but supportive. Seriously, your words of encouragement have brought a smile to my face and made me proud to be a writer. I'm glad the last chapter blew you away-that seems to have been the general reaction from everyone else. Sorry I left you speechless and made you cry! I didn't mean to make you sad! I will tell you that things for this chapter won't be as bad you may have thought so I hope that takes away some of the sads. As to my future writing, I will explain what's going on with that in the closing note!
So, now that is done, let's proceed…to the final chapter of; Kids.
P.S.: One final thing! While writing this chapter, I was listening to Green & Blue (KOAN Sound Remix) from the Halo 4 soundtrack. I think this version of Green & Blue is somewhat fitting for this chapter so if you've ever heard the song, I think you'll get what I'm trying to say. I think you'll know which part of the chapter the music inspired so I hope it's fitting. If not, I left a little asterisk to show where the music started for me. (Note: I do not own Halo or Fairy Tail! Both belong to their respective owners; this is merely for entertainment purposes only…shouldn't we know this by now?)
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CHAPTER 23: Epilogue…A Fairy Tail Ending
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Dragneel residence-9 Years later; X800…
In a modestly sized apartment situated near the river that divided the center of Magnolia Town, the faintest glint of the early autumn morning light gently filtered through a crack in the closed blinds of the bedroom which they kept in shadow. The light had slowly crept across the wooden floor and pierced the subdued darkness like a gentle trickle of water before stopping at the foot of the queen sized bed that took up the center of the bedroom.
Unaware of the natural phenomenon that was currently taking place in and outside their room, two adults, a man and a woman, lay in each other's arms as they silently and unconsciously enjoyed the warmth of their bed sheets and each other.
They were Natsu and Lucy Dragneel.
Husband and wife, mages of Fairy Tail, and mates till the day they died.
Both were twenty seven years of age and wore identical, gold wedding bands around their left ring fingers. Tied hanging from their necks were two necklace chords that held two keys; one was pure sterling silver while the other was made from blue and white diamond-each shaped in a manner, that when combined together, would form a shield with two crossed swords behind it.
But that was where the similarities stopped.
Natsu, compared to himself of nine years prior, was taller, with a muscular frame and broad shoulders. His salmon pink hair, which everyone recognized him by, was still the spiky and unkempt but at the same time, it was also longer than he had previously kept it…if only by an inch or two. Currently, the fire mage and dragon slayer wore an old, baggy tee shirt and a pair of boxer shorts as he held his wife in his arms while she rested her head underneath Natsu's chin.
Lucy, like Natsu, had grown and changed over the past nine years as well.
She had grown slightly from her previous height so that she stood just an inch above Natsu's shoulders. Her golden blonde strands now reached just below her shoulder blades but currently resided in a slightly disheveled bed head. Add to the fact that her more toned and curvaceous figure was adorned with a set of lacy, nighttime lingerie, Lucy resembled someone many considered to be an angel amongst men…that is until her protective husband would cast a warning glare in the general direction of such admirers.
She was Natsu's-plain and simple.
…Not that Lucy was complaining anyways.
But even as the two mates slept in relative silence, Natsu found his sleep to be interrupted by a dream.
A dream about a desperate battle fought years earlier.
A dream filled with images of a young man fighting amongst the chaos against an enemy engulfed in shadow.
A dream, where the young man stood victorious over the shadow…before collapsing to a pool of his own blood.
A dream, where the young man died in his arms…as Natsu begged his son to come back to him only to receive silence in turn.
Natsu's eyelids fluttered as the haunting images played out before him. His brow creased and he began to grunt.
Suddenly, Natsu's eyes snapped open as a single name escaped his lips in a heated whisper.
"Igneel!"
It took Natsu a minute to realize that he had been dreaming. He blinked once and then twice before closing his eyes and exhaling slowly out his nose. Natsu opened his eyes once more and looked down at Lucy as she slept silently in her husband's arms, completely unaware of what had just transpired.
Natsu watched his mate as her chest rose and fell in a gentle rhythm while her lips parted slightly as she breathed in through her nose and out her mouth.
Natsu smiled slightly and used his hand to move a few stray locks of hair behind Lucy's ear. Lucy mumbled cutely in her sleep and snuggled closer to her husband.
"Dear Mavis, she's beautiful." Natsu thought.
She was. He knew it, she knew, everyone knew it; and she was all his.
Natsu exhaled slowly and craned his neck up to look over Lucy's head to her bedside clock. It was quarter to eight in the morning.
"So much for sleeping in." Natsu grumbled lowly so as to not wake Lucy.
Rising, and now awake, Natsu pulled Lucy's arms away from him causing the celestial spirit mage to groan slightly at the loss of her heat source. Natsu slid out of the bed and pulled the comforter over Lucy so that she could snuggle back under the warmth that remained. He then placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before stepping back.
Creeping out of their bedroom with the finesse of a cat, Natsu crept down the hallway that led to the bathroom. As the morning dim began to fill the house, Natsu paused to look at the picture frames that lined the wall.
They were a menagerie of memories from days gone by and more recent times.
The first few of when had been younger-when he joined Fairy Tail as a boy and of him and Happy fishing together.
The next were of him and Lucy after she had joined Fairy Tail, of the two of them during the Fantasia Parade and multiple group photos of the Guild.
The next were slightly more recent. One picture was of him and Lucy's wedding. They had both just turned nineteen when Natsu popped the question to Lucy and soon enough, the two had wed in October of X793. Master Makarov himself had walked Lucy down the aisle of the Cardia Cathedral and had given her away to Natsu. Natsu himself personally didn't know who had been more nervous or jittery; him or Lucy. Regardless, it had been one of the happiest days of their lives.
The next pictures were of a similar nature.
Following his and Lucy's wedding, Gray and Juvia had tied the knot. Juvia had been three months pregnant with their first child, Jenny, and Gray was careful with his tearful, blushing bride to be as he held her bridal style for the picture. Natsu had teased his longtime rival about shedding a few tears himself but Gray had blown Natsu off, not falling for his best friends antics.
After Gray and Juvia, were Laxus and Mirajane and in turn followed by Elfman and Evergreen, Sting and Yukino. X793 had been a busy year for Fairy Tail with the announcement of weddings and pregnancies. To put it bluntly; nothing new compared to the daily shenanigans that went on with the rowdiest Guild in all of Fiore. Sting and Yukino had extended an invitation to Fairy Tail under the premise that their guests not cause too much havoc…which was easier said than done.
Natsu grinned sheepishly to himself as he rubbed the back of his head. He could still feel the blow Erza had inflicted to his ribs after he had gotten a little rowdy and nearly set the wedding cake on fire.
Turning his attention to the final set of pictures, Natsu looked at the still frames of Levy and Gajeel and Jellal and Erza. All four mages had sealed the deal in X794 rather than fall in after their friends. Gajeel grinned wickedly for the camera as he easily held Levy in his arms, bridal style as the sun set behind them on their beach wedding. Natsu couldn't help but chuckle to himself when he remembered how totally smashed Lucy and Levy had gotten when they had a little too much sake. Finally, Jellal and Erza stood in a group photo with the bridesmaids and groomsmen and Master Makarov standing in front of the newlyweds. Both looked radiant in their white suite and dress but there was something or rather someone, to be more precise, who stood out against the sea of white. Gently wrapped in a bundle of red was baby Senna as she silently slept in her mother's arms. Erza had given birth three weeks prior to the wedding and the whole event had nearly thrown off the wedding plans given that Senna had been born a month prematurely.
But in the end, everything had worked out.
…Everything had turned out just fine.
And it was this thought that made Natsu remember the boy who had made it possible. Whose sacrifice, despite some discrepancies to what he had told of years earlier, had made the future what it was.
A boy, who currently slept in a room set towards the middle of the hallway. Turning away from the pictures, Natsu approached the door and opened it, a small smile forming in his lips as he watched his twin son and daughter silently sleep in their separate beds.
Igneel and Lilly lay still as their deep and even breathing filled the room. The two five year olds were blissfully unaware of what had transpired between them and their parents in the past…and the future they had helped protect.
For a moment, Natsu simply stood in place as he watched his children sleep. Seeing them grown up as teenagers had been one thing…but to see them grow inside Lucy…and then be finally able to hold them in his arms when they had been born had been another. He couldn't think of anything to properly describe the feelings that ran around in his heart and head.
But he didn't need to. His smile and his tears, which mirrored Lucy's, had said it all.
Natsu crept into the room before kneeling down next to Lilly. The little girl looked so much like her mother when she had been at that age. A distinguishing factor for Lilly were the vibrant, natural pink highlights that stood out amongst her golden strands. Natsu gently swept some stray locks of hair away from Lilly's eyes before pulling her bed cover up closer over her shoulder while also placing her stuffed dragon plushy closer to her. Lilly mumbled something in her sleep before turning over on her side.
A slight purr caught Natsu's attention and he looked to the foot of Lilly's bed to where a small cat with a pair of even smaller wings on its back, lay curled up into a ball. Its fur was sky blue but had snowy white patches here and there. Around its neck it wore a small collar with a small bell and a pink ribbon tied in a bow attached to the end of it. A name was inscribed on the collar that simply read: Glee. A small smile formed on Natsu's lips as he thought about Happy and Carla being curled up together in a similar manner on the couch in the living room. Natsu gently scratched Glee between her ears before rising and turning to the other bed behind him.
Igneel lay with his arms outstretched and bed sheets slightly tangled around him, with his father's scarf held in his one hand. His wire dark framed glasses rested on a small table that stood right next to his bed. Natsu smiled and gently straightened the bed covers over his son before wiping the boy's bangs away from his forehead. Natsu could only marvel at how his son looked exactly like him-from his pointed canines, his smile, down to the tangled mess that was his spikey, salmon pink hair.
It was his son that had fought, bled and died to save his family-to save his future. And yet here he lay in a nice warm bed not aware in the slightest that he done such an otherworldly feat.
Here he lay, at five years old, still a child who was still trying to understand the magic of the world around him.
One day…he would tell his son and daughter about their daring mission into the past…one day…but not today.
For now, he'd let them stay just the way they were as kids.
Natsu smiled again before rising to his feet, exiting the room and silently closed the door behind him. Natsu continued down the hall to the bathroom where he stripped out of his clothes and ran the water until it was just the way he liked it; hot. Not too hot so it burn skin but hot enough that it would be considered relaxing for him.
Steam quickly began to fill the bathroom as Natsu stepped under the spray of the shower and ran his hand through his soaked hair, slicking it back. Exhaling audibly as the water pulsated against his skin, Natsu leaned forward and rested his forehead against the cool tiles of the shower.
His thoughts drifted back to what had started his current train of thought; the dream of Igneel and his death.
Why, of all times, had he dreamt of that?
It had been the first time in a while that he had even thought of the battle and its outcome…why was it coming to mind now?
Natsu sighed and started to rub his temples.
He had tried to forget some of the specifics of that whole fight…and even the events that had led up to it. He didn't want to forget the battle entirely, lord knows he would never be able to, but there were some things he'd rather forget.
Natsu sighed again.
"What a pain." Natsu grumbled as he ducked his head back to let the shower pour water down his face.
But…so engrossed had Natsu been in his thoughts that he failed to notice the bathroom door open or the shower door be pulled back. He was in turn brought out of his musings when a slender pair of arms wrapped themselves around his chest while feminine body pressed itself against his back. A cheek then rested itself against the base of his neck which was followed by a gentle, contented hum.
Natsu smiled, not needing to look over his shoulder.
"Good morning Luce." Natsu said in an amused tone as the tips of Lucy's fingers rested on the ends of his collar bone.
"Good morning Natsu." Lucy said in a semi-sleepy tone as the hot water from the shower began to cascade down her hair and exposed skin.
"When did you wake up?" Natsu asked as he moved his hands up to hold Lucy's.
"A few minutes ago," Lucy said, "I missed my space heater."
Natsu chuckled as he gave his mates hands a light squeeze.
"What woke you up? Since its Saturday, the kids are normally waking us up by jumping on or crawling into bed with us." Lucy said.
Natsu sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, slicking the spikes back again.
"It's nothing." Natsu said, trying to deflect his wife's inquiry, "Don't worry about it."
Natsu felt Lucy straighten up before her hands began to turn Natsu around so that he was facing her.
"Natsu," Lucy said as she gently cupped Natsu's face with her hands, "what's bothering you?"
Natsu sighed before resting his forehead against Lucy's. He should've known she wouldn't have taken no for an answer.
Natsu's sharp, emerald green eyes met Lucy's doe like, chocolate brown.
"I…I had that dream again," Natsu finally answered, "the one about Igneel."
Lucy's eyes widened for a second before an understanding look formed on her face as she gently took her thumbs and rubbed them back and forth across Natsu's cheeks.
"Natsu…that…that happened a long time ago." Lucy said, "Nothing is going to happen to Igneel; or anyone else for that matter."
"I know, I know," Natsu replied, "it's just that sometimes…sometimes I can't help but think back to that day."
Natsu sighed.
"It'll come back to me, you know," Natsu said, "every now and then. Mostly when I'm asleep or when I'm just by myself…sometimes, I'll look at Igneel and a memory will pop right up."
Lucy gave Natsu a small smile before giving him a gentle kiss. The two stood in their gentle lip lock as the shower water continued to wash over them. Natsu moved his hands so that they now rested on the small of Lucy's back. The Celestial Spirit mage pulled back and gently trailed her hands to Natsu's chest.
"Natsu…I…I can't explain why those memories still follow you. But there's no escaping them. They'll always be a part of you-a part of us. But you shouldn't let them bother you. Yes, what happened to Igneel and Lilly was horrible…but that was then. Igneel and Lilly are here now and we have nothing to fear for them. Their fight is over-it was prevented. We can enjoy our time together with our children without the worry of them being taken away from us."
Lucy rested her head against Natsu's chest.
"We are a family; nothing will ever change that. We'll be together…always."
"…Always?" Natsu asked.
Lucy chuckled gently.
"Always." Lucy reaffirmed.
Natsu smiled and gently kissed Lucy again before resting his forehead against hers.
"…It's times like this that I remember why I married you." Natsu said.
"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" Lucy asked with a slight giggle, "And why did you marry me?"
"Because you're the only one who understands me." Natsu answered simply, "The only one who can make sense of what goes on in my head."
Lucy gave Natsu an endearing smile before she kissed her husband again.
"I love you Natsu." Lucy said when she broke their kiss.
"And I love you too Lucy." Natsu said as he kissed his mate again while guiding his hands up her back while Lucy's trailed down the hardened muscles of his stomach-both enjoying the feel of the others wet skin against their fingers.
Lucy let out a low moan when Natsu's left hand cupped the base of her skull while his right gripped her hip, pulling her flush against his body as his tongue entered her awaiting mouth. The two began to move against one another, feeling the familiar heat run through their veins as their hearts began to beat in synch.
The two parted, blushing and gasping for breath.
Her eyes half lidded in lust, Lucy stood on the tips of her toes so that she could whisper into her husband's ear.
"You know…we still have some time before we have to wake the kids up." Lucy purred as she bit Natsu's ear, making the fire mage growl while a devious grin formed on his face.
"What are you suggesting?" Natsu asked playfully.
"Why don't you find out?" Lucy said as she began to lean back against the shower tiles, pulling Natsu with her.
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Later; East Gate Park…
It was the afternoon now as the Dragneel family made their way down the path that led to the center of the park. Cotton ball shaped clouds dotted the bright blue sky here and there while the sun gleamed brilliantly.
The early autumn air was fresh and a gentle mixture of both warm and cold made the light breeze carry the aroma of the season across the park. It was a tranquil way to start off the day.
Natsu walked with his hands in the pockets of his beige colored cargo pants while his leather boots gently clacked against the cobblestone path. He wore a black, long sleeved tee with his trademark scarf wrapped around his neck.
Lucy walked next to her husband, with her elbow intertwined with Natsu's, as her hair gently swayed in the breeze. She wore a white sundress under a denim jacket that had its sleeves rolled halfway up her forearms. A pair of laced up sandals which stopped just below her knees completed the look.
The two mages smiled as they watched their children run around and ahead of them as Igneel and Lilly chased one another.
Igneel wore a pair of dark grey shorts with a fiery orange long sleeved button down over a white tee shirt. His little boots dug into the soft grass as he did his best to outrun his sister who had now just been joined by Happy and Glee while Carla watched with an amused smile from on high.
Lilly wore an attire that was similar to her mother's but instead of a sundress, she wore a blue, knee length skirt and a black top under her denim jacket.
Soon enough, the group found themselves at their destination. At the center of the park was a large paly ground and swing set that was filled with other children and families from the rest of Magnolia.
"There they are." Lucy said as she pointed to a large maple tree.
Natsu followed Lucy's outstretched hand to the tree and saw Levy waving her hand high as Gajeel gave a nod to Natsu. They were not alone however.
Joining the Redfox's on a very large blanket were Elfman and Evergreen Strauss, Gray and Juvia Fullbuster, Laxus and Mirajane Dreyar, and Erza and Jellal Fernandes.
The corresponding children for each couple were currently running around the playground or riding on the swing sets. Natsu watched in amusement as Jenny Fullbuster and Selina Dreyar ran from the swings and over to their mothers. Selina had placed her head against Mirajane's swollen belly as she listened to the baby move around for a second. Jenny sat on her knees as she silently watched over her baby sister, who lay snuggly in Juvia's arms.
Between playing with the other kids and fawning over their baby sisters, the two little girls seemed to have their hands full.
It wasn't long before they and the others spotted Igneel and Lilly. Igneel and Lilly looked back at their parents with questioning looks which promptly turned into grins when Natsu and Lucy nodded, silently giving them permission, to go play with their friends.
As the Dragneel siblings bounded off to the playground with Glee flying after them, Happy and Carla soon joined Pantherlily on one of the branches of the tree.
"About time you got here ash head," Gray said, "we were wondering if you guys were going to show up at all."
"Aw, put a sock in it freezer brain," Natsu taunted back, "You know the kids would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't."
"Now, now you two," Mirajane said sweetly, "don't be causing trouble around the kids."
Mira's eyes suddenly flashed with a sinister glint.
"You wouldn't want to start anything…right?" Mira said as Laxus cracked his knuckles while she gently rubbed her baby bulge.
Natsu and Gray swallowed hard. They had almost forgotten that Mira was eight months pregnant with her second daughter; Kiri.
The sound of water gently rippling caught Gray and Natsu's attention and the two longtime rivals and friends looked to see Juvia use her free hand to form a ball of water in her palm…while her other held a sleeping baby, gently wrapped in a blanket in the crook of her elbow.
"She's right you two," Juvia said in an equal dangerous but sweet tone, "You wouldn't want to wake Chiara now would you?"
"N-n-no! Never! Of course not!" Gray and Natsu said in unison, not wanting the two mothers to unleash their maternal instinct to destroy anything that threatened their children upon them.
Especially Mira, Natsu thought as he suppressed a shudder of fear. He remembered when Mira had been pregnant with Selina and Max had accidently bumped into her belly with his broom. The uppercut Mira had delivered to the poor man had left him stuck in the rafters of the Guild Hall for two and half hours.
Natsu was perfectly fine with not having the mother to be try and rip his skull from his spine…or anytime for that matter.
"Good!" Mira and Juvia in unison as their cheerful demeanor returned.
"Idiots." Erza muttered as Jellal chuckled at his friends antics.
The ice mage sat back down next to Juvia and gently returned his attention back to his sleeping daughter. Natsu remained standing as he looked at baby Chiara. She had come as a surprise to not only Gray and Juvia but the rest of the Guild. They all remembered how the little girl was not supposed to be born until a couple of years after both Sam and Jenny had reached their early teens.
It was a surprise, but a welcomed one none the less.
Still, Chiara's birth had just been one of a few discrepancies from what Igneel had told them in the past. It seemed like their little foray back in time had done some alternations here and there that they hadn't counted on.
Natsu sighed and looked back to the kids on the playground-his attention once again drawn to Igneel as he pushed Senna on a tire swing.
"I'm going to go keep an eye on the kids." Natsu said as he turned and walked over a park bench a couple of yards away from the group.
"What's with him?" Elfman asked as he watched the fire mage walkaway.
"Compared to how he usually is, Salamander seems kinda out of it." Gajeel added.
Lucy watched her husband walk to the bench and sit down, reclining back as he watched the playground. A small, understanding smile formed on her lips.
"It's nothing…he just has a lot on his mind, that's all."
Natsu leaned back into the bench as he propped his right leg on his left knee, arms hanging back on the bench. He exhaled slowly through his nose as his sharp green eyes watched Igneel and Lilly at play.
Once again, he found himself thinking of his son from the future as a small smile took shape. His eyes became distant as he let his mind wander back to a day that seemed like it was a lifetime ago.
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9 years earlier-X791: The Realm of Time; The Keeper's Castle-Inner Sanctum…
The air was still.
No one dared to talk.
No one dared to move or even breathe.
Despite the tranquil setting of the star filled sky above along with the glow of the suns and the aurora, the mood of the assembled mages was anything but.
Many stood with their heads hung low in sadness or respect-possibly a combination of the two. Others wiped tears from their eyes as they found themselves unable to look away from the scene that played out before them.
Igneel Dragneel lay unmoving in a pool of his own blood, his life having left his beaten and broken body minutes earlier. His eyes were closed and his mouth was a gentle line-a far cry from the tired and pain filled look he had just moments before.
The young mage from the future, who many had become attached to, had died but he had done so, knowing he had completed his mission. He had saved Fairy Tail and the entire world from Aya Higurashi by driving a blade of hard light through her heart.
He had saved the future; but more importantly he had saved his family and his friends-the people he cared about.
But this fact was of little comfort to the mages.
Wendy continued to weep into her hands as Romeo held his mate in the best comforting hug he could manage. Lisanna had knelt down next to Wendy and placed a comforting hand on the younger girls shoulder.
"I couldn't help him," Wendy sobbed, "I couldn't do anything."
"That's not true Wendy," Lisanna said, her voice gentle and soothing, "you did the best that you could. But Igneel…Igneel was too hurt to help. No matter how you look at it…Igneel…" Lisanna paused to think over the right words to say to the sky mage.
"Igneel's time had come. Even though he knew you were trying to help him, he also knew that he was going to die. There was no stopping it."
Wendy looked at Lisanna with red, tear stained eyes.
"Wendy…sweetie, there are just sometimes when people die. And no matter what we do, we can't stop it. But I don't think Igneel would want to see you like this. He knew how strong you were and he knew you fought you're hardest to help him-to give him time to fight for us. Do you think Igneel would want to see you like this?"
Wendy shook her head.
"No, he wouldn't." Wendy croaked out.
Lisanna gave Wendy a small smile before looking over to Natsu and Lucy. Being able to talk to Wendy was one thing…but those two…they had just lost their son.
And Lisanna had no idea how to comfort those two.
Natsu sat on his haunches with his head lowered and forehead resting on his arms which rested on his knees. His shoulders shook with every sob that managed to escape his lips. He didn't care if the others saw him crying…he was in too much pain to give a damn.
Lucy had buried her face into Igneel's chest, her hands gripping the fabric of his shirt, not caring if his blood got on her. Her body quivered as she openly wept for her son, not willing to believe that he was gone-even though the warmth and the beat of his heart had long since faded away.
"Igneel," Lucy whimpered, "come back."
Lucy took a shaking breathe.
"Igneel please…come back."
But Igneel remained still and cold as his mother's pleas went unanswered.
"Please…" Lucy whimpered, "Please."
Unable to watch her best friend in pain any longer, Levy slowly approached Lucy. Kneeling down, Levy took her friend into a comforting embrace.
"Don't touch me!" Lucy screamed as she forcefully pushed against Levy.
But the blue haired mage held firm. Despite Lucy's squirming and verbal protests, Levy held her friend close.
"Lucy, stop." Levy said, gently, "Lucy…that's enough…its okay…its okay." Levy said, repeating the words over and over again.
Slowly, Lucy stopped struggling against her friend and fell into Levy's arms as her pained cries and tears came forth.
Gray had walked from Juvia and over to Natsu. The ice mage crouched down and placed a comforting hand on Natsu's shoulder. The dragon slayer didn't even react to Gray's touch.
Suddenly, the sound of stone moving against stone caught all of the assembled mages attention. It was loud enough to make everyone's head turn in the direction of the sound, even Natsu and Lucy. The lid of The Keeper's sarcophagus had opened by splitting in two down the middle and then falling to the sides of the coffin, levitating off the ground.
The only thing was…it was empty.
"What in the name of Mavis?" Erza said as her hand came to rest on the grip of Senna's katana, sheathed at her hip.
A gust of wind and the rustling of fabric from behind caught the attention of the assembled mages and caused them to turn back around to where Igneel lay...where a new arrival loomed just a few feet away from the fallen mage and his parents.
It was tall, at least seven/seven and half feet, and was shaped like a man. Its attire consisted of a hooded-long flowing robe with a tunic and baggy trousers underneath with calve high leather boots-and it was all solid white, devoid of any wrinkle or crease. The hood hid its face in an ink black void, leaving a set of glowing blue orbs to serve as its eyes. A set of ghostly pale hands rested at its sides from within the sleeves of the robe-devoid of any wrinkle, fingernail or any sort of trait that gave it away as skin.
The thing turned its head and slowly scanned the faces of all the mages, its glowing blue eyes scanning the astonished faces of the men and women who stood before it. It then looked down at Natsu and Lucy, causing both of them to shift uneasily under the gaze of…whatever had crawled out of the coffin.
The thing then looked at Igneel and cocked its head to the right…as if it were a scientist making a curious observation. The thing then righted its head and slowly extended its right arm, hands lightly raised and pointed at Igneel.
Igneel's body twitched once before levitating an inch or two off the ground. The ting then gently curled its fingers and began to pull Igneel towards it. Realizing what it was doing Lucy frantically pounced onto Igneel pulling him close and back down to the floor.
"I won't let you take him!" Lucy screamed as she casted a furious gaze at the thing.
"I won't let you take my son!"
Undeterred, the thing curled it's fingers further and once again Igneel was pulled forth, despite Lucy desperately trying to keep him down.
"Bastard!" Natsu yelled as fire began to form in his hands, "Stay the fuck away from him!"
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu said as he fired the flames forth.
The fire lashed out at the thing, but in turn, the creature raised its left hand, palm up and the fire simply disappeared before it even reached its target. Natsu could only gawk in surprise before the thing lowered its palm so it was facing down and then pointed its index finger at Natsu and Lucy. An invisible force pushed the duo back. It wasn't harsh but it was forceful enough to push them away. Igneel's body was then quickly pulled back to the thing where it turned its hand, palm up and fingers still curled. Igneel's body was levitated so that it now vertically hovered next to the thing. The thing then closed its hand into a fist and before everyone's eyes, Igneel's body was broken down into a series of pixels that just as quickly disappeared.
Igneel was gone.
"…No…" Lucy said, her voice almost devoid of life.
The spirit mage began to hyperventilate as she clutched her hands to her hand.
"NO!" Lucy screamed, "IGNEEL!"
Tears streamed from Lucy's eyes as her sobbing began anew.
"Do not mourn." The thing suddenly spoke in a calm, even tone that echoed out amongst the open area. Its voice startled all present, not on account that the ting actually spoke, but the way it sounded. It was neither a man nor woman-more of a combination of the two sexes, the voices blending together in a ghostly echo.
"Do not mourn," the thing repeated, "for there is nothing to mourn for."
"W-what?" Lucy said as Natsu came to her side.
The glow of the things eyes softened, as if it were smiling gently.
"All shall be undone."
With those words, the thing raised its left arm, index finger pointed out. A beautiful blue and yellow aurora appeared over the mages in a perfect circle as motes of light began to rise from the floor. To the left of the thing, about a couple of feet away, a white orb began to materialize and pulse to life…as if it were beating like a heart. Then bones began to form out of nothing, muscle and sinew began to stich back together and organs took their places just as skin covered the inner workings of the body.
But there was something familiar about this body.
It soon became apparent that the body was male. As the light faded, more details came to view. He was tall for his age of seventeen years with broad shoulders, muscular frame and relaxed demeanor. He wore a pair of trendy, dark framed glasses with a white, long sleeved button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a black button down vest atop it. Two black wristbands on both wrists and a black leather belt with a few pouches kept a pair of black slacks in place while a pair of black lace-less dress shoes completed the ensemble.
His most distinguishing feature was his pink hair. (*)
A collective gasp resounded from the mages, more so with Natsu and Lucy as the spirit mages hands clasped over her mouth.
Igneel Dragneel hovered before them…just the way he had looked when he first arrived two months earlier. But now his body was devoid of scars-both new and old-and the wounds that had been inflicted upon him earlier.
Then from the aurora, an orb of blue with a trail of light sped out from the multicolor light. The orb spun down and up Igneel's body before rearing back and plunging into Igneel's chest-right where his heart was. Igneel's eyes suddenly snapped open and he let out an explosive gasp for air as fell to the floor, landing on his knees. Igneel took a series of shaking breathes before his breathing evened out and he rose, looking at his hands before patting his body down.
"What?" Igneel said, "I'm…I'm alive?"
Igneel looked up at the thing which in turn nodded its head in a gesture to turn around. Igneel slowly did so before his eyes widened it surprise.
Six white orbs appeared in the manner that Igneel's had. The process that had brought Igneel back to life repeated itself and soon, two boys and four girls appeared in their respective attire; their bodies reformed.
Six blue orbs left the aurora and entered their respective bodies. Each person had a similar reaction to Igneel's as Lilly Dragneel, Saito Redfox, Senna Fernades, Sam, Jenny and Chiara Fullbuster were brought back to life.
The children of Fairy Tail landed on the floor on their knees or feet as they took stock of their bodies in obvious surprise and confusion.
"How…how are we alive?" Senna asked as she touched her abdomen where she had been stabbed.
Sam touched his neck and then his arms.
"Last thing I remember is fighting Talon and then…then darkness…along with my neck hurting for a sec."
Chiara touched her throat and then looked up at Jenny.
"My throat doesn't hurt anymore ane-san." Chiara said only for Jenny to scoop her little sister up into a hug as tears streamed down her face.
"I thought I lost you!" Jenny cried out, "I thought I lost you baby doll!"
"…Guys?" Igneel said, his voice reaching the others.
The kids turned and faced Igneel with disbelieving looks in their eyes.
"Igneel?" Lilly said as she took a step forward, "Is that you?"
Igneel stood on his feet as tears welled up in his eyes a smile forming on his face as he nodded to his sister.
"I…I did it." Igneel said, his voice cracking slightly.
The eyes of kids began to widen as the implications of Igneel's words sank in.
"You mean you….and Higurashi's…"Sam said.
"Yeah," Igneel said, "she's dead. The future's saved."
Igneel held his hands out at his sides.
"We did it!"
And before Igneel could react, Lilly ran forth and flung her arms around Igneel's shoulders, bringing her twin brother into the tightest hug she had ever given him. Lilly buried her face into her brother's shoulder as tears of joy ran down her face.
"It's over," Lilly whispered, "it's finally over!"
The other kids soon joined in and stood together for a moment before parting. Igneel forearm clasped Sam and Saito's arms before giving them a firm shake. He then found himself pulled forward by Senna who brought him into a soul searing kiss which Igneel returned as he lifted Senna off her feet and spun her around. Sam and Lilly performed a similar gesture before parting so Sam could hug his sisters. The group of young mages took a moment to shake hands and hug…before they realized they were being watched.
Turning, they found the stunned mages openly gawking at them…their parent's not believing what they were seeing.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Chiara squealed in delight as she ran from her group to Gray and Juvia.
Juvia let out a gasp of joy as her hands covered her mouth. She then ran to meet her daughter with Gray hot on her heels. The two mages fell to their knees as they met their daughter as she leapt into their arms.
In a heartbeat, both parents and children ran forth to meet one another as the rest of the mages watched in a mixture of surprise and joy.
Through a mixture of hugs, tears and general euphoria, the families of Fairy Tail were reunited.
"D-don't you ever do something like that again." Lucy said as she pulled back from Igneel and Lilly as she wiped her eyes.
"I don't plan on it." Igneel said sheepishly.
"Same goes for you too young man!" Gajeel said as he shook Saito's shoulders.
"Duly noted." Saito said as he was being shaken by his father while Levy continued to hold him in a hug.
The sound of a throat being cleared caught everyone's attention and they turned to see the thing looking at the mages with its hands clasped before it.
"Are you the one who brought us back to life?" Igneel said as he walked forward.
The thing nodded.
"I am." It answered.
"Thank you," Igneel said, "for bringing us back…for reuniting our families."
The thing nodded once more.
"Who are you…what are you?" Natsu asked.
"I am the one you humans call The Keeper of Time. I am the caretaker of time and its magic."
"You're The Keeper?" Levy asked.
"I am. The first and last of my kind. I was created and tasked by the creator to maintain the balance of time and the magic it possessed."
"…Why did you bring us back to life?" Senna asked, "Last time I checked, when you die you are supposed to stay dead."
"Yeah, you some sort of necromancer or something?" Sam asked.
"Death is merely an aspect of time, child. Death, though eternal, is a way of saying that your time is up and that a new soul is ready to be born into the realm of life. Being the master and manipulator of time, I simply "reset your clocks", so to speak." The Keeper said.
"You died earlier than you were supposed to; your time has not expired."
"But why?" Igneel asked, "Why bring us back?"
The Keeper was silent for a moment before it looked to the sky.
"Long ago, before any of you had been conceived, I had a vision of a woman who would threaten the balance of time and of the human world. A woman who would destroy all and plunge the human world into darkness; a woman who would use time as her weapon."
The Keeper pointed to Aya Higurashi's corpse.
"She was the woman. But I also saw a young human male who would rise against the darkness…who would fight and die to restore that which was."
The Keeper pointed to Igneel.
"You; Igneel Dragneel."
"Me…" Igneel said, pointing to himself.
"Yes…I saw you, your sister and compatriots find a way to save all that you knew by using time yourself. You would travel back in time to do battle with Aya Higurashi, knowing you could make a difference in the past. You would experience joy, loss and pain, but you would succeed. You would triumph. But I did not know when that day would come. So I waited. I waited, allowed Aya Higurashi to manipulate my power and carry out her dark deeds. I waited, knowing you would one day find me…and here you are."
The Keeper looked to Igneel.
"I am sorry…but at the same time, I know you can understand my reasoning. The balance, thanks to your efforts, had been restored."
"Bit of a dick move, but I get it." Saito grumbled.
Igneel shook his head.
"I do understand…and I hold no grudge towards you. We were unaware of this and therefore, cannot be able to hate you."
The Keeper nodded.
"Thank you."
"…So~, what happens now?" Lilly asked, "What happens to Higurashi? To us?"
"I will deal with Aya Higurashi accordingly. She will be returned to your world…but her body will be buried in a secluded place. As for you, children of Fairy Tail, you must return to your original time. It has been restored to the way it was before your tragic loss occurred. All that you did here in the past will remain as it was…but when you return, you will not remember any of this. Your parents may…but not you. It is up to their judgment whether or not to tell you of your foray into the past."
The Keeper then looked at the rest of the mages.
"As for the rest of you, you can never return to this realm or risk altering time once more. You must return to where you belong."
"We understand." Igneel and Makarov said in unison.
"Good." The Keeper said with a nod. It snapped its fingers and two portals appeared. One was a reflection of the Fairy Tail Guild building. The other was a glowing white…leading to the future.
"Go…and return to where you belong."
The kids looked uncertainly at one another. They didn't want to part with their parents, but at the same time, they knew they had to.
Igneel looked at Natsu and Lucy.
"I guess we have to go now." Igneel said.
"Yeah." Natsu said as Lucy wiped tears from her eyes.
"I don't want to see you leave," Lucy said, "but it is what it is."
"…Don't worry," Lilly said, "We'll see each other again."
Lucy nodded before she took her son and daughter into a tender hug.
"We're so proud of you, I want you to know that. No matter what happens, we'll always be proud of you two." Lucy said as she pulled back from her children.
Igneel and Lilly could only smile and nod. Natsu gave his twins a similar hug before giving them firm slaps on the back.
"You take care of yourselves, I don't want you two having fun without me." Natsu said earning a chuckle and grin from Igneel and Lilly.
"Don't worry dad, we know the drill." Igneel said.
Soon enough the kids said their goodbyes. They were full of laughs, tears and promises but they all knew they would see each other again. The kids then broke away from the group and approached the portal. Igneel took Lilly's hand into his own and then looked over his shoulder back to Natsu and Lucy.
"See you later." Igneel said before giving a smile and a wink.
"Count on it." Natsu said confidently.
Igneel looked back to the portal as the kids each linked their hands together.
"Let's go home everyone." Igneel said.
And with that, the children of Fairy Tail stepped into the portal, returning back to the future they had saved.
They returned home.
It wasn't long before the rest of the mages followed suite. As the last members of Fairy Tail entered the portal that would return them home, Natsu paused to look back at The Keeper.
"Thanks." Natsu said.
The Keeper nodded and raised its hand in a gesture of farewell.
Lucy gently tugged on Natsu's hand with a gentle smile on her face.
"Let's go home Natsu." Lucy said.
"Home." Natsu thought.
"Yeah, that sounds good." Natsu said.
Home sounded very good indeed.
Hand in hand, the two mates entered the portal and returned back to Magnolia Town, with the future looking brighter than it had before.
XXXX
Present Day…
"Daddy?" A voice said catching Natsu's attention.
Natsu blinked once and then twice.
"Daddy what's wrong?" The voice asked again.
Natsu shook his head to knock himself out of his musings. He looked to the sound of the voice to see Lilly standing before him, a perplexed look on her face.
"What's wrong Daddy?" Lilly asked.
Natsu smiled gently.
"Nothing sweetie, Daddy's just thinking that's all."
"About what?" Lilly asked.
"…Something I'll tell you about when you're older. Now, what's up?"
"Mommy says Aunt Erza is ready to serve lunch and asked me to get you."
"Yum," Natsu said as he tickled Lilly's sides, making his daughter squeal in joy, "that sounds good. Well, go tell mommy that I'll be on my way."
Lilly nodded with a beaming smile.
"M'Kay!" Lilly said and ran back to the blanket.
Natsu sighed and rose to his feet as he looked around the park once more.
Yes, his son and daughter had been brought back to life and had returned home. They, along with the other kids, had been given the chance to return to their own time and live out their lives the way they were supposed to.
A sudden movement caught Natsu's attention from his peripheral vision. He looked and saw someone leaning against a tree about a hundred yards away as they lowered their arm from a wave. As Natsu squinted in, his enhanced vision focusing on the person.
His eyes subsequently widened in shock.
"No way…" Natsu said.
Leaning against the tree, was none other than-
"Igneel!?" Natsu said.
-his son. Or his future self to be more accurate. Just the way he looked from all those years ago.
Igneel leaned against the tree with his arms crossed and his trademark smile on his face. Igneel winked, just like he had nine years prior, and then leaned forward as he put his one hand in his pants pocket.
Just stopping by, Igneel mouthed to his father.
Natsu could only gawk, even more so when another person stepped out from behind the tree Igneel had been leaning against.
"Lilly." Natsu whispered.
Igneel's twin sister walked up to her brother with her hands behind her back before unclasping them and waving coyly at her father. She then turned to Igneel, taking his free hand in hers before nodding her head over her shoulder. Igneel nodded, took one last look at Natsu before winking again. The brother and sister then turned on their heels, walking away.
Natsu blinked and then they were gone.
Natsu couldn't understand what had just happened.
Was he seeing things or had that really been Igneel and Lilly?
"Natsu?" A voice said, catching Natsu's attention.
Natsu turned around in time to see Lucy walking up to him.
"Lucy?" Natsu said.
"Who else?" Lucy said, "Lilly came over and told me you were on your way but when I looked at you, you were spacing out…you okay."
Natsu blinked once before quickly nodding his head.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just…uhm…I was just…" Natsu said as he rubbed the back of his head.
Lucy looked to where Natsu had been starring before a knowing smile appeared on her face.
"You saw them too, didn't you?" Lucy asked, turning back to Natsu.
It took Natsu a moment to realize what Lucy had said to him. But soon enough, he smiled and pulled Lucy close so he could kiss her on the forehead.
"Yeah, I saw 'em too. Good to know I'm not going crazy."
Lucy giggled before turning herself and Natsu around. She then rested her head on Natsu's shoulder as she watched Igneel and Lilly, now their current selves, help themselves to some sandwiches Erza had made. The two noticed their parents and waved enthusiastically to them.
"Do you think they'll be okay…that they're okay?" Lucy asked.
Natsu paused for a moment before smiling his trademark grin.
"Of course they're alright silly." Natsu said as Lucy looked up at him.
"They're our kids after all."
Lucy paused for a moment too before she smiled her radiant smile and took Natsu's hand into hers.
"Yeah…they are our kids."
And with those words, the husband and wife walked hand and hand back to their beloved friends and family…
…With nothing but the future ahead of them.
XXXX
THE END
XXXX
Closing A/N: So…how's that for a happy ending!?
We reached and crossed the finish line people. I have officially completed my first story. Words cannot even begin to describe how I'm feeling right now. I just…I just can't believe it! I never thought I would make it this far!
This story started out as something I couldn't get out of my head and now it's turned into something so much more. In the beginning, I was so worried that I would get slammed by harsh reviews but to my general surprise, people actually encouraged me to continue. They wanted more. So I did so and I am damn proud that I did.
So to all of you who have reviewed, favorited and followed my story; thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your continued support and encouragement-for just sticking to this to the end. I hope I was able to make it a proper ending for you all-it's the least I can do for you guys.
I do ask that you leave a final review, however, to let me know how this turned out. Just give me your general feedback on the chapter and the story as a whole, that's all that I ask. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to PM you or maybe even respond to you in the next story if you happen upon it.
So, now that Kids is finished, I'm going to tell you what's going to happen next. I'm going to take a few days off from writing and just relax, get my thoughts in order and play some Xbox.
For the rest of the summer and possibly my beginning of College Sophomore year, I'm going to work on my other story Vendetta. It's in sore need of revision and an update(s) so that will be my main focus for a little bit before I start anything new. I have some serious plans for Vendetta so I hope you'll check it out. I do have other stories planned for Fairy Tail; they are Into the Fire and, wait for it, Kids: Knight's Tale (a companion/sequel to the story you just read!). Both these stories are still in planning, research and development so don't expect them to pop out for a little bit. I may even do a special one-shot for Halloween when that time comes around (I love Halloween in case you didn't know). I also hope to one day work on something for Naruto, Kingdom Hearts and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
An~d, I may do something else for this story…possibly…yes? No?
So until then, I hope to see you in my next story. Your reviews, comments and feedback are always appreciated plus I've grown attached to you guys so I hope you'll drop by to say hi every now and then.
So, for now; adios, au revior, auf wiedersehen, sayonara, dasvidaniya, peace out-however you say it-see you next time!
As always; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING! THIS IS DD42 AND I'LL SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ADVENTURE!